This invention relates to a framed lead assembly for use in manufacturing a semiconductor device.
A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor element comprising, in turn, a semiconductor chip and at least one circuit element on the chip. The circuit element has a plurality of electrode areas. The semiconductor device may be a transistor, an integrated circuit, or the like. In a sophisticated semiconductor device, the electrode areas are individually wire-bonded to outer leads.
As will be described in the following with reference to a few figures of the accompanying drawing, a framed lead assembly disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Syo 46-37,929 (1971) or another framed lead assembly revealed in Japanse Patent Publication No. Syo 44-13,663 (1969) or 47-3,206 (1972) comprises a plurality of conductive lead strips capable of being simultaneously electrically connected to the electrode areas. It has, however, been difficult to keep the lead strips in exact positions.
As will be described also later with reference to one figure of the accompanying drawing, still another framed lead assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,027 comprises an insulator sheet for keeping the lead strips in exact positions. It has, however, been hardly readily feasible with the lead assembly to attain exact registration of the lead strips with the electrode areas. In addition, the lead assembly is often inconvenient when it is desired to further electrically connect the lead strips to outer leads.